Clamp



EF@%. 23, 1932. c. L. MATTHEWS 1,345,445

CLAMP Filed Dec. 15, 1930 lit!) Patented Feb. 23, 1932 UNITED, STATES.

PATENT OFFICE tCLA'UDE I. MATTHEWS, ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOB TO W. N. EATTHEWS' CORPORATION, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A

CORPORATION or mssoum:

CLAMP Application filed December 15, 1936. Serial No. 502,341.

This invention relates to clamps, and with regard to certain more specific features,to guy strand clamps.

Among the several objects of the invention may be noted the provision of simplified means which provides for terminating a guy strand or the like in a taut position, and, if desired, without the use of slack taking devices; the provision of a device of the class described which provide's'a clamp having a minimum number of elements fastened directly to a terminating means; the provision of a device of the class described which provides for pulling the guy strand taut and clamping it in said taut position, said strand being definitely and positively held through out the clamp, holding bein effected along lines which are of a sinuous s ape, positionedlaterally to the direction of the applied clamping force; the provision of a device of the class described which provides an integral capstan around which aguy strand can be pulled taut before clamping is effected on the guy strand; and the provision of a device of the class described which is economical to manufacture and simple and positive in operation. Other objects will be in part obvious and in part pointed out hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the elements and combinations of elements, features of construction, and arrangements of parts which will be exemplified in the structure hereinafter described, and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawings, in which is illustrated several of various possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the invention with a top block portion of the clamp removed, the dotted lines showing a-guy strand in position prior to clamping;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the inner face of the top block portion which is removed from Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is an end view of Fig. 1, with a guy strand in place, the top block portion and a bolt being shown ready for clamping action; Fig. 4 is a side elevation of Fig. 1 with the block of Fig. 2 in place, in which a guy strand is shown as clamped inplace;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary plan view of another form of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of Fig. 5, parts being broken away; and,

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of the invention slfiown applied, for example, to a ground anc or.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. of the drawings.

In the present specification and claims, the term-guy strand is to be considered as exemplary of any strand serving any purpose in its installation, including wire, rope, cable and the like.

' Heretofore difficulties have arisen in terminating guy strand at guy rods because of the stili'ness of the strand (usually a wire strand) and because of the number of pieces rod, the clamp and capstan means for looping the guy strand and pulling it taut before clamping action is effected.

Referring now more particularly to Fi 1, in which is illustrated a guy rod or guy bolt a clamp aiiixed independently. of.

adapted to be attached to a ground anchor.

pole or the like, numeral 1 shows a guy rod or guy bolt comprising a rod 3 with a clamp 5 formed integrally therewith. The rod 3 may be of any convenient type, and, as shown in Fi 1, may comprise a threaded nut and bolt 21 and 23).

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 illustrate another method i of jointing the clamping portion 5 to a guy rod or bolts. In this method the portion 5 has an extension 39 extending from the clamp 5 and having therein a threaded recess 41, adapted to threadingly receive a threaded end 43 of the guy rod or bolt 3. The clamp and the rod are joined by threading the strand is pulled taut. The clamping porthe clamp 5 to the rod 3. This form of the invention permits of assemblingthe clamp and the rod or bolt in the field.

The preferred design and operation of the clamping portion 5 is similar to the one-bolt clamggset forth in the a plication of Theodore irkenmaier, filed otober 6, 1930,-Se rial No. 486,713, and as shown in Figs. 1 and 2 herein, this form of the clamp comprises a male base portion 7 on the clamping portion 5, and a female top block portion 13. It will be understood that an alternative design could be made that would have the female clamping member 13 made integral with the rod or bolt andthe male member as a separate piece; A projection 27, on the male block, having sloping faces 29, is accommodated by a corresponding-recess 31 in the female block 13. The faces of block portions 7 and 13 are also provided with lateral, waveshaped or sinuous grooves 33, formed so as to be juxtaposed when the blocks are assembled as in clamping guy strand. The openings 11 in the blocks are provided to receive a threaded bolt 35, (Fig. 3) thereby providing means for drawing the blocks together.

It will be seen that when the guy strand 15 is laid over the sinuous grooves (dotted lines, Fig. 1), the block 13 laid on the guy strand, and the bolts 35 applied through the V oppositely disposed openings 11, only a small force is required to draw up the nut 37, thereby forcing the guy strand into the grooves 33. The sloping faces of the blocks form an in 1 clined plane mechanism which provides a high mechanical advantage between the said blocks and the guy strand which is being bent" to conform to the sinuous grooves. Any subsequent tendency of the guy strand to straighten under longitudinal stresses exerts a force which is not substantially in the direction of the axis of the bolt 35, and hence no great stress is imposed on the bolt. In fact, the nut 37 may be slightly loosened after it has been drawn up and effective'holding action will still result.

To provide for the tightening of the guy strand 15 before clamping, an integral, raised capstan 9 is formed on the interengaging portion of clamping portion 5. The capstan is positioned back of the base portion 7, as is shown in Fig. 1, thus making it ossible for the guy strand 15 to be loope over and brought into a taut position over the base portion 7. The capstan beingintegral provides increased strength, a reduced number of parts and a more economical and rugged construction.

To terminate the guy strand 15 in a taut position, the guy rod 3 is secured to some anchoring means such as a pole, referring to Fig. 1, or to a ground anchor (Fig. 7). The rod is positioned so that it will substantially longitudinally align with the strand 15 as tion 5 is threaded on tothe rod 3 if it is not already threaded or otherwise fastened there to. With the top portion,13 of the clamp 5 removed, the strand 15 is given a turn around the capstan 9, the strand being positioned in the vicinity of the sinuous grooves 33 (see dotted lines Fig. 1). The free end of the strand is now pulled, by hand or by a slack puller, to tighten the same by pulling it around the capstan 9. After the strand 15 has been sufiiciently tightened, or before tightening, the top clamping block 13 is placed over the base block portion 7, the bolt 35 is applied through the holes 11 and the nut 37 is threaded on to force the two blocks together. Thus the strand 15 is forced into the sinuous grooves and finally takes the position shown in Fig. 4.

It will be seen from the above that a guy rod has been provided which has a clamp integrally and/or mechanically attached thereto. Moreover, a guy rod has been provided which substantially eliminates the necessity of.

means, other than is provided on the 'rod it-' self, for terminating guy strand.

The device herein described can be used on through bolts, eye bolts and in a variety of applications within the spirit of the claims; Its advantages include (1) increased strength, because of the integral formation of the capstan, which unlike some prior structures is not formed as a sheave, (2) reduction in numberof parts with increased simplicity of construction and operation and 'descreased cost. The integral Eapstan requires no added assembly or machiningjstep and hence its in- 1 creased strength isrg better. The one-bolt clamp taken in combination with the above features results in a device of optimum characteristics. I

In view of the above, it will be seen that the several objects of the invention are achievedand other advantageous results attained.

' As many changes could be made incarrying out the above constructions without departing from the scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description or shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative l and not in a limiting sense.

I claim: I 1. A guy strand fastening device comprising a guy rod, 'a capstan formed integrally on one end of said guy rod adapted to receive a turn of the strand, clamping means comprising a base portion on'said end and a top portion adapted to be juxtaposed on said base portion, pairs of sinuous grooves in the respective portions; adapted to be juxtaposed,

single bolt means for drawing said portions together, means providing a mechanical advantagefor said bolt for forcing the strand to conform to said grooves as said portions are being drawn together, said clamping device being adapted to clamp the strand in its turned position.

2. A guy strand fastening device comprising an anchor, a guy rod fastened at one end to said anchor, a capstan formed integrally on the free end of said guy rod adapted to receive a strand in a looped position thereby permitting tightening thereof, a clampin device also formed on said free end of sai guy rod, com rising a base portion formed on said free en a top portion, adapted to be juxtaposed on said base portion, sinuous grooves in the respective ortions adapted to be juxtaposed, means or drawing said portions together, and means com rismtg an inclined plane mechanism adapted to orce the strand to conform to said grooves as the portions are drawn together, said clamping device being positioned to clamp the strand in said looped position about the capstan.

3. In combination a clamp, a rod, said clamp comprising a base clamping portion integral with the rod, and a top clamping portion, interengaging sinuous portions on said clamping portions adapted to force a strand into bent position to be held and a'capstan integrally formed with the engaging portion on the base clamping portion.

4. In combination a clamp and a rod, said clamp comprising a base clamping portion and a top clamping portion, said base portion having a female threaded ortion for threadably receiving one end 0 saidrod, singlebolt means for eifecting a clampin action between said clamping portions, an a capstan formed integrally on said base portion.

5. In apparatus of the class described, a clamp comprising two clamping parts adapted to be fastened together, means for anchoring one of said parts, a capstan on said anchored part adapted to permit looping a strand therearound, means for drawing together said clamping parts and means associated with said parts adapted to force said strand into a sinuous shape, said last-named means permitting of rior pulling of said strand straight to and orm said capstan and a subsequent bending of the same.

6. In apparatus of the clam described, a clamp comprising two clamping parts adapted to be fastened together, means for anchoring one of said parts, a capstan formed integrally on said anchored part adapted to permit looping a strand therearound, means for drawing together said clamping arts and means associated with said parts a apted to force said strand into a sinuous shape, said last-named means permitting of prior pulling of said strand straight from said capstan, said sinuous shape lying in a plane substantially normal to said bolt.

In testimony-whereof, I have si ed my name to this specification this nintfi day of December, 1930.

CLAUDE L. MATTHEWS. 

